Patent GB-1048813-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to shoe upper conforming machines
IPC: A43D21/12
Filed: 1963-05-09
Abstract: 1,048,813. Lasting machines. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO. Ltd. May 9, 1963 [May 11, 1962], No. 18318/63. Heading A3B. A toe lasting machine comprises a support for a shoe upper, on a last, wiping means comprising wipers having an outline shaped to correspond at least substantially to that of the feather edge of the last so that they may, as they lie near to the last, act as a visual gauging means defining the outline of the last hidden by the upper (to assist the operator in positioning the upper correctly on the last), and means for effecting relative movement, heightwise of the last, between the support and the wipers to cause the wipers to perform a heightwise wiping action on the upper. The machine has a toe gripper 4, two side grippers 6 and two ball grippers 8. The grippers are all similar and are opened and closed by means of a wedge-shaped cam 138 carried by a piston 136 in a cylinder 134 (Fig. 5, not shown). The toe gripper 4 (Fig. 4, not shown) is moved heightwise to tension the upper by a piston and cylinder 102 via link 96, double armed lever 94 and rod 92, the final position being adjustable by means of lever 32 via arm 116, link 114 and lever 110. The gripper 4 rests against a roll 85, adjustment of the gripper lengthwise of the shoe being carried out by moving the roll 85 heightwise by means of a screw 93 turned by a control wheel (not shown) via a cable 95. The side grippers 6 (Fig. 5, not shown) are mounted by a universal joint 148 on a double armed lever 150 which is connected to piston and cylinder 160 for heightwise movement. The rate at which they tension the upper is equalized by a synchronizing mechanism comprising a piston and cylinder 188 which rotates levers 180 at a predetermined rate, unequal movement of the grippers being prevented by abutments 176 on the levers 150 engaging the outer ends of the levers 180. Each side gripper 6 is adjustable (a) widthwise by a bell crank 202 which is turned by a control wheel (not shown) via a cable 210 and a screw 20 having a collar 204, (b) lengthwise by a lever 36 which is connected to arms 230, the position of the lever 36 being locked, after adjustment, by a piston and cylinder 238 which applies a brake 236 and (c) heightwise by a lever 34 (Fig. 4) which is connected to the double lever 150 by rod 168 (Fig. 5). The shoe support 2 (Fig. 2) is connected for heightwise movement to a piston and cylinder 62 and carries insole hold-downs 70 (Fig. 5 not shown) which are mounted on carriers 72 connected to piston and cylinder 54 (not shown) for heightwise movement. The last is positioned on the support by side distributers 12 (Fig. 10, not shown) and a toe distributer 10 which are urged upwardly by piston and cylinders 330, 332 and may be moved lengthwise as the wiper head 16 (Fig. 11, not shown) descends by the wiper head 16 engaging a rod 336 connected to a link 334 mounted on the distributer carriers. The distributers may be retracted to an out of the way position by piston and cylinders 352 (not shown). The heel clamp 30 (Figs. 11, 13 not shown) is mounted on rods 510 which are movable lengthwise to clamp the shoe by a piston and cylinder 522, bellcrank 518 and link 516. The clamp 30 may be locked in position by toothed members 528 which are mounted on piston and cylinders 536 and which engage serrated edges 526 on the rods 510. The toe clamp 40 (Fig. 11, not shown) is mounted on a head 472 and may be moved lengthwise by piston and cylinder 478. The head 472 is moved from an out of the way position as shown in Fig. 11 to an aperative position by a toggle 486 which is connected at one end to an arm 450 on the head 472 and at the other end to a piston and cylinder 490 (not shown). When the toggle 486 has been straightened clamping pressure is applied by piston and cylinder 500. The wiper head 16 (Fig. 2) is moved heightwise by piston and cylinders 426 and is held in its gauging position by a resilient stop 430. The wipers are moved lengthwise in the head by a piston and cylinder 452 and are constructed and arranged substantially as described in Specification 940,741. The machine is controlled automatically by a pneumatic control circuit and operates in the following manner. On depression of a treadle T the toe gripper 4 is closed, the insole hold-down 70 is raised, the side grippers 6 are closed and the wiper head 16 is allowed to drop under its own weight to its gauging position as determined by the stop 430. The heel clamp 30 is then moved forward, the toe and side grippers are lowered in conjunction with the synchronizing mechanism, the brake is applied to the side gripper adjusters 36, the ball grippers are closed and lowered and the machine stops. The operator then adjusts the position of the upper on the last by the various adjusting means previously described and, if this is unsatisfactory, may return the grippers &c. to their initial position. When the upper has been positioned correctly the operator restarts the machine, the heel clamp is locked, the toe pad moves down to apply light clamping pressure and the wiper head moves down to wipe the upper heightwise. As the wipers move down the distributer pressure is increased and the distributers move away from the toe and the toe grippers open. The wipers then advance and close and during this operation the side grippers are opened, the insole hold-down is retracted, the distributer pressure is relaxed and the distributers are retracted, the ball grippers are opened, the support is retracted and the toe pad applies bedding pressure. The bedding pressure is applied until a timing device or a manually operated release button relaxes the bedding pressure and the various parts are returned to their initial positions.